The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-06-12
THE ClTIZEN--NO. 2.
Fights and Privileges Of the American Citi-
zen Compared with Those Of Other People.

full protection IN the exercise and enjoyment OF
the so-called private righss,7 is citizen. This
definition is broad enough to allow US full scope
In the examination OF this question.
There is no nation on earth to-day that allows
the liberty of thought and action granted by our
Republic. "a citizen" can 20 to any point in the
Nation unrestraIued; is free to engage in any
business or professions; has the opportunity to
accumulate property he has in no other coun-
try; he has religious freedom ana is biased in
his educational advantages as he is not elsewhere.
The male finds fewer distractions than any man
across the seas in asserting his right
of elective franchise. Tho wife, in
the United States has prerogatives never
dreamed OF by English sisters.
There is less favoritsm shown to certain Of the
children than in some countries. There is less of
cruelty here TO children. less Of wife beating;
less time required for war, greater freedom OF
speech, and what not
10 this country the young vote when
he In twenty-one years of age, whether he is
worth q penny not In England he must be
worth a certain amount OF money or pay a GER
tain rent before he vote in country or Dor
oueh In Scotland owners Of land worth Go a
year and dodgers who pay flO per year can exer-
else this important function In the United
States the people elect their law makers. either
directly As In the case of the Con gresham. or
Indirectly. as in the case of the United States
Senator. In England the members of the House
Of Lords, a legislative body. como into Office az
By virtue OF hereditary right; W by creation OF
the sovereign; (3l by virtue! OF Office las bish-
opsE (4l by election for life Irish peersl; (5l
eiection for that Parliament Scottish peersL
The crown has unrestricted power TO create
peers, and this power has been freely exercised
In modern times.
Blackstone tells Us that mother, as such, Is
entitled to no power but is entitled to reverence
This may be good enough for England but in
che United States we had passed that point
years ago. The States of Maine and Massa-
cbusetts led out in the forward movement The
independence Of wives who had been abandoned
.,A III w rO0 tc WIS
ptzed by law. Public recognition was taken of
marriage Women were allowed TO dispose Of
their property at will The law held that she
was not liable for her husbands debts In Eng
land ali this woman possesses belongs TO her lege
lord and can be squsndered at his will. In the
United States where there is no will the children
Of deceased parents share the estate equally.
Across the water the Oldest son inherits the patr-
mony. leaving the younger members to shift for
themselves in a large measure.
1t was in 1913 that the sweeping reforms
came In this country in favor OF women. Not
until then could the wife receive, hold or give
AWAY properly in her own name and independ-
ent of her husband
In 1860 and 1862 these rights were still further
enlarged, allowing wives to drive business
their accounts, to sue aud to be sued sepa-
rately from her husband. Here the courts
ally favor the mothers wish with reference to
any disposition of the children in case of sepa
ration. In the mother country a father has
taken the children from q blameless mother and
put them into the hands of strangers In this
country Christian civilization runs ahead Of
the courts, giving n larger liberty This soon
finds expression in new laws leagues in ad-
vance Of the code brought over from England in
the early history of our Republic.
Wages hre higher in America land IL cheaper
aud the opportunities for becoming a freeholder
nre far better. even than in merry old England
Hsre support the religion OF
his choice, or no religion. In the other country
he IL taxed to support the established church.
We turn from England to France, and find
the contrast, in some respects, even greater.
There we find less respect for morality and vir-
tue The number OF illegitimates IL appalling
While all religions are tolerated, yet no church
can be built nor place OF worship selected with
out license from the state. One religious sect
largely predominates in that country, which Is
not slow to influence civil affairs making it
sometimes a difficult matter for Professionals to
obtain religious privileges. Legislative powers
are vested in two houses-hrst, the Chamber of
Deputies; secondly, in the Senate The chief
executive is President elected for seven years
by the Houses of Deputies and the Senate com
bined. The people have direct vote for their
executive: The Chamber OF Deputies is elected
by universal suffrage since 1885, the
number Of which is 5s4 one dep
uty FOR every 10000 inhabitants
To be a voter, n man must be twenty one years
of age, and have been n resident in his town or
canton at least two years. Felony deserton
bring permanent acknowledgements. Eligibility
TO the House Of Deputies requires the candidate
90 be- twenty-five years Of age Members of
families which have evor reigned in Fance may
not be elected TO the chamber. The Senate is
composed OF 200 members of whom seventy five
were originally elected for life The law of S4
has modified that somewhat.
The Senators elected by delegates, who
were frat selected by the people, very much as
we Americans vote through our electors for
President and Vice president. ANY religious
body with 100 900 members L. entitled to fnan-
cial help from the state. Catholics, Protestants
and jews only receive aid. In SO the Catholic
Church received over forty-t million francs
from the government. while Protestants re-
ceive about three and half million francs for
colleges. seminaries. etc
In America the citizen such has no part OF
the church burden to bear. The church and
state entirely separate. The support OF
Eeligion Is entirely voluntary.
and both Catholic priests and Protestant minis
ters supported by the state The church
proposes the man for the place and the state
indorses Germany is a monarchy. the present
Emperor having been elected by the Reichstag
OF the North German Confederation. The gov
eminent consists OF two houses. the Bundles
rath. which represents the various States, SINH
lar to the American Senate The Reichstag Is
made up of representatives OF the people. The
citizen must be twenty five years of age before
he becomes n voter. and resident OF his state
for at least one year; no bankrupt nor pauper
san vote. Wages are much lower than
In America; taxes are higher in proper
.tion than here. and ersry young man at the
age Of twenty must snter the army for three
years where he is engaged in active service
rs the condition OF the empire may demand. He
Is then the retired list for two years, liable
to be called out in case of any emergency.
There IL stiil another class whose ages range
from twenty-five to thirty-two, who are In re-
serve for the army also. No matter how dis
tasteful the army may be to any one. he must
serve Apprenticeship as q soldier The lines
OF women and children have been made much
easier in modern years, the husband being less
of a despot than heretofore, and both parent aud
pedAgogue hud less for the severe corporal
punishment Of n previous age Woman can hold
property in her own name: divorce laws are
strict, the Catholic Church forbidding one sepa-
rated to marry.
In oriental monarchies the people have bu:
few rights. THE exact distinction between the
freeman, the serf and the slave; the nature OF
the rights which the govern ment or the despot
cannot invade; the Limitation Of power
tho rights OF the subject to hold property fully
his own are hard TO discover and of uncertain
tenure. Religious doctrines are such, the peo-
pie are so powerless. their characters for many
reasons arc weak that II Is impossible for
them to resist the entertainments OF their mon
archs The King is either the incarnation or
representative OF God-ths mediator between
,h.fr dfvipffias The Chinese govArn-